Metered Access

Crain's Detroit Business is a metered site. Print and digital subscribers have unlimited access to stories, but registered users are limited to eight stories every 30 days. After viewing three metered stories, you'll be asked to register or log in. After eight more stories in 30 days, you'll be asked to subscribe.

The McGregor Fund’s longtime leader, C. David Campbell, died Monday at his home after an eight-month battle with pancreatic cancer.

Campbell, 61, joined the Detroit-based foundation in 1995 as executive director and became president in 1999, a trustee in 2003 and CEO in 2014.

During his nearly 20 years at the helm of the foundation, he oversaw the granting of nearly $150 million to local nonprofits in human services, education, health care, arts and culture, and public benefit.

Campbell took part in the conversations that led to the so-called “grand bargain” in the Detroit bankruptcy case, which led to a $6 million commitment from the McGregor Fund as part of $366 million in private foundation support pledged to the deal.

Prior to joining McGregor, Campbell spent eight years at the Community Foundation for Southeast Michigan as vice president, program, and six years with the College for Creative Studies as dean of students.

He was a founding board member for many organizations, including: Detroit RiverFront Conservancy, City Year Detroit, City Connect Detroit, Detroit Local Initiatives Support Corp., Excellent Schools Detroit, Michigan Future Schools and LearningtoGive, a national program designed to integrate the concept of philanthropy into the K-12 curriculum.

He also served on the boards of New Detroit, the New Economy Initiative of Southeast Michigan, Greater Downtown Partnership, AlmaCollege, the Council of Michigan Foundations and the Arlington, Va.-based Council on Foundations representing funders across the country.

“Dave was sought after because he was a great listener and thinker. He would always provide you with good counsel. People really valued his input and thinking,” said Rob Collier, president of the Council of Michigan Foundations.

“He was a gentle, very humane man who also lived with great grace ... his deep caring for humanity came across. He was genuinely concerned that everyone be given a chance to get ahead in this world.”

A memorial service will be held later this month with details posted at mcgregorfund.org when they are available.

McGregor said its board plans to hold a special meeting later this summer to address succession plans, with current staff led by COO Kate Levin Markel overseeing the fund’s ongoing operation until then.